An oncologist is a medical professional who has the education and training necessary to diagnose and treat various type of cancers. Oncologists practice in hospitals and medical centers, university hospitals, and research organizations. In addition to diagnosing and treating tumors and cancer, they conduct research to learn more about cancer and how it acts in the body to help develop new treatment options.

The subspecialty of interventional pain management aims to help patients who are suffering from all types of pain by using invasive interventions. This may include anything from nerve blocks to implantable drug delivery systems to spinal cord stimulation. This kind of treatment is often helpful for patients who have long-lasting pain that cannot be easily managed with medication or other means of pain management. Therefore, these treatments are usually reserved for those with serious pain problems.

Pain management is a wide branch of medical study, and it can include a complete range of different therapies for those suffering from pain. Since pain can come from many parts of the body for different reasons, the solutions will differ greatly. Some doctors will prescribe pain medication to their patients, but in recent years, there has been a push to explore more medication-free pain management options, such as physical therapy, surgery, and even acupuncture and other alternative therapies.